BREAKING: Canvas Latest Platform to Introduce “Stories”

They say that capitalism breeds innovation. Well, it looks like that innovation is 10-15 seconds of text, image, or video that disappears in 24 hours? Since the social media app, Snapchat added the story option for their users to create short “stories” in 2013, many other platforms have followed. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn (yes, the networking app), and more recently Twitter have all put their own spin on the sharing feature. And it looks like more platforms are joining in… even some that aren’t the typical social giants we are accustomed to.

UTB reports that the next popular social media platform to develop a “story” feature is Canvas, the site universities use to slowly kill their students’ sense of direction and wellbeing. Canvas announced today that an option for “stories” will be added to allow for quicker and more multi-media communication between professors and students. “We have always wanted to make the site more collaborative. With this pandemic, we thought it would be perfect timing for professors to be more interactive with their students.”

The new stories include a lot of the same features that other social media apps already have; like being able to post informational graphics, having live stories for quick updates, having public or private stories to send things to specific students. 

While originally for professors to utilize to their advantage, some students that we're able to try out the feature in beta-testing have used the stories quite differently for themselves… likely not in the way that was originally intended it seems. 

Jackie Burkhart (C ‘22) tells UTB that she has used the feature to create connections with classmates. “At 3 AM every night I post videos of myself crying to Hozier or Phoebe Bridgers while struggling to write 10-page essays. I see others post similar stories. It’s incredibly depressing to see others go through mental breakdowns… but, hey, at least we are in this together <3. I’m pretty sure our professors thrive off of us being in pain so we post that shit on the public.”

Michael Kelso (C ‘23) has been using the stories most extensively around 11 pm each night. “The last minutes until that 11:59 deadline is incredibly hectic. Finishing assignments while my class descends into madness in live stories. Classmates are screaming into the void, downing Adarrel pills to stay awake, begging others for help. It’s hell… but it kinda feels like I’m back on campus :)”

Eric Forman (E ‘24) informed us that the stories get incredibly “extra” after taking an exam. “After the Chemistry midterm was messy. A lot of my classmates were ranting about the test, cussing out the teachers. People were posting themselves on PennInTouch to switch to P/F… some were even on CommonApp to transfer. A couple of students even dropped their OnlyFans.”